Boss Rush

V: Guardian Treasure

It was late at night when they finally touched down. After going through customs, collecting their luggage, and generally complaining about stringent regulations, two girls finally came out.

One girl had short brown hair, bright green eyes set in tan skin. She wore cargoes, a T-shirts bearing: 'A Wizard's Staff has a Knob on the End' and a grey fedora. The other was dressed like a typical Goth, but in a way that promoted manoeuvrability against a tan skin. Her long black hair and black eyes lent an aura of malice that did not soften except through the first girl.

"Yes, we're finally through!" the first girl shouted. "Goodbye, thirteen-hour flight!"

"You..." the second sighed. "Anna, we're still going to have to sit thirteen hours on the way back. Don't celebrate yet."

"Aww, Rose..." Anna nearly cried. "We're finally here in Neo Domino! Here where the Queen is! We're finally here where all the action is!"

"Yes, yes. Now let's get to that hotel before we find the Queen," Rose patiently explained. "Only you would want to participate in a Duel spirit war even against all odds..."

Fudo Ryuusei yawned lightly as he awoke to the waking world. As usual, the air inside his room was perfumed with plum blossoms in spring... scratch that, the whole year his room smelt of plum from the window. The Dandylion was bouncing in- no, it was bouncing in a lap covered in a long skirt in cherry pink-

"Good morning," Marguerite greeted. Something green played in her hands, almost like a vine of ivy that had trailed about somewhere in the wind. "Did you know that your gift was being restrained?"

"...excuse me?" Ryuusei repeated. "Restrained?"

Marguerite held up the ivy-like vines. She was kneeling on the clean parquet flooring, her fingers poised as if teasing apart the chains like thread. "These 'weeds' you see have been robbing your 'seed' of power to flourish. This one, for example, has held off your gift of True Sight. Perhaps it accounts for that you have very rarely seen spirits, for that gift is weakened by the chains that restrain yourself."

He had to ask. "Who would want to chain me?"

"Who knows," Marguerite shrugged. "There are numerous reasons I can think of to restrain such power, especially considering the number of chains. I can unbind you, but it shall take power and time."

"Thanks," Ryuusei answered.

"Consider it a service rendered," Marguerite answered. "It is only mortals who could have used this particular shadowy magic. Only those of that bloodline..."

"Huh?" Ryuusei blinked.

"There are very few spell-casters in this mortal world now," Marguerite mused. "Especially of this magic. I knew of only two people who could have used it to 'bind'..."

"Well, I'll leave you to it," Ryuusei nodded as he stepped into the bathroom.

It was after freshening up that Ryuusei found the ghostly spirit of the Sorciere de Fleur in the kitchen, poking curiously at the rice. "What is this?"

"Good morning, Nii-chan!" Seika called.

"Morning," Ryuusei sat down at the set place. "Itadakimasu."

Marguerite and the Dandylion remained silently hostile at each other as Ryuusei ate his way through and finally left home for school on the Meteor Stream. This silence lasted until their partner got impatient.

"Okay, what's with the silence?" Ryuusei quietly asked, touching the visor on his red-streaked helmet as he reached a red light.

"It is nothing," Marguerite confessed. "It is... emotions are more intense. In my spiritual form before, every interaction of your world was like being immersed deeply in the seas, there was almost no way of communication. Through you, I perceive... differently."

"Is it like that with all spirits?" Ryuusei asked as the red light changed and he got back onto the road.

"Who knows," Marguerite cryptically answered. "The only moments of clarity would come only when I have caused 'seeds' to bloom, and in exchange I would feed on the darkness that exists that makes them wish for such power. It is only a moment, a moment that shall pass. You are the first mortal that has made a pact with me that lasts."

"I think that's sad," Ryuusei commented. "To have to interact with people for only an instant. Surely you must have been lonely."

"I... I didn't think of that," Marguerite whispered quietly as the Meteor Stream swerved into the campus of DA Kings.

"Yo," Chase greeted at their usual places in the classroom. "Ryuusei, the Tanpopo is still acting up."

"Huh? I guess you can say that..." Ryuusei mused. "But whatever causing this is gone anyway, so it should be fine, right?"

"Oi, wake up," Rex said. "Tenjouin-sensei."

Tenjouin Fubuki smiled as he stood at the front of the class. "For your graduation trip we have a choice of Heartland next door, Academy Island and Tokyo. However... we have no idea which trip to give you guys!"

"Don't smile when you're saying that!" the class chorused at him.

"That's why, we'll be sending a class representative to battle it out with the other class representatives," Tenjouin-sensei smiled. "The winning class of the three-way battle gets to choose! Now, choose your class representative!"

Unanimously, the class pointed to Ryuusei.

"Fudo, you're up!" Tenjouin-sensei smiled. "So, get the Island trip for us, okay?"

"Sensei, that's completely unfair! What about Tokyo!"

Tenjouin-sensei frowned. "But, Academy Island has a five-star accommodation..."

"Okay!" the class turned to Ryuusei. "We're counting on you!"

Duel time rolled around to see Ryuusei facing Shirahane Ren and Ishihara Takeshi from the next class.

"May the best man win!" Shirahane was smiling.

"Duel!"

Ren: LP 8000

Takeshi: LP 8000

Ryuusei: LP 8000

"Draw!" Ren called. "I summon T.G. Catapult Dragon [900/1300] to the field in attack mode! Now, I special summon T.G. Jet Falcon [1400/1200] to the field using the effect of Catapult Dragon! Tuning, level two Dragon to level three Falcon! Limiter Removal, Level Five! Regulator Open! Thruster Warm up, OK! Up Link All Clear! Go! Synchro Summon! Come on, Tech Genus Hyper Librarian!"

In a flash, the infamous white-robed magician appeared [2400/1800].

"Using the effect of Jet Falcon, both my opponents take five hundred damage!" Ren called.

Takeshi: LP 8000 → LP 7500

Ryuusei: LP 8000 → LP 7500

Ren: LP 8000

"I'll set a card, turn end!" Ren called.

"Draw!" Takeshi called. "I summon Valkyrie of the Nordic Ascendant [400/800] to the field! Now, since I control no other cards, I banish two Nordic monsters to special summon two Einherjar tokens [1000/1000]! Tuning, two level four Tokens to level two Valkyrie! North star in heaven, the king that rules the sky. Right now, bundle the pantheon of the star boundary and show the authority! Synchro Summon! Rule the heaven and earth! The Supreme God, Odin, Father of the Aesir!"

In a flash, that monster appeared [4000/3500], magnificent and proud.

"I'll set a card, turn end!" Takeshi called.

"Draw!" Ryuusei announced. "The battle royale rules state that no one can attack on the first round... I'll play the Spell card, Tuning, to take Junk Synchron and mill a card. Because I milled Dandylion, I get two Fluff Tokens on the field. Then, I use Heavy Storm."

The other two grimaced as their cards were swept away.

"I summon Lonefire Blossom [500/1400] and using its effect I tribute it to special summon Gigaplant [2400/1200] to the field," Ryuusei announced. "Equip Supervise to activate its Gemini effect and revive Lonefire Blossom. Now, I tribute Lonefire to special summon the tuner Spore [400/800] from my deck to the field. Tuning two level one Tokens to level one Spore! Evening shades envelop the world; herald of the night, shine. Take flight, Synchro tuner, Twilight Rose Dragon!"

"Crap!" Both swore as the dragon tuner [500/1400] folded its wings as it appeared.

"I draw a card!" Ren quickly called.

"Activating Twilight Rose Dragon's effect, once per turn, I can tribute a level five or higher Plant Type monster to special summon a Plant Type monster or Black Rose Dragon from my graveyard," Ryuusei called. "So, I will tribute Gigaplant to special summon Spore again. Because Supervise leaves the field, Gigaplant is special summoned to my field once more. Tuning, level six Gigaplant to level one Spore! Chilling flames engulf the entire world! Pitch-dark flower set in bloom! Synchro summon! Bloom, Black Rose Dragon!"

The majestic dragon appeared, as the darker and smaller dragon cried out in answer.

Ryuusei glanced from the two dragons to recall, when Black Rose first entered his hand...

"For all those redeemed nightmares," he whispered. "Tuning, level seven Black Rose Dragon to level three Twilight Rose Dragon! Farewell, glorious sun; flower of the night, bloom! Accel Synchro! From the darkness greet me, Night Rose Dragon!"

The sky turned dark. Wisps of black whirled overhead, and then, slowly, very slowly, the miasma condensed into the form of an enormous dragon. Its narrow head and slender neck was velvety black, as were its wings, formed by countless rose petals. The dragon was coated with brilliant stardust, glowing and glittering, like a night sky unseen by civilisation [3000/2500]. It was also awesome enough that Takeshi and Ren instinctively stepped back.

Takeshi frowned. "But, Odin is still stronger..."

"Night Rose Dragon's second effect," Ryuusei called. "Once per turn, I can halve the attack and defence power of a monster my opponent controls [4000/3500 → 2000/1750]."

"...well, crud," Takeshi openly admitted.

"I'll set two cards and end my turn," Ryuusei declared.

"What a strong opponent," Ren muttered. "But... I summon T.G. Cyber Magician [0/0]. Using the Rush Rhino in my hand, I Synchro summon! Tuning, level four Rush Rhino to level one Cyber Magician! Limit release, Level 5! Booster launch, OK! In-creation, OK! Ground support, all clear! Go! Synchro Summon! Come on! Synchro tuner, Tech Genus Wonder Magician!"

In a flash, the pink-haired magician [1900/0].

"I draw a card," Ren called. "Now, tuning, level five Hyper Librarian to level five Wonder Magician! Limiter Removal Level 10! Main Bass Booster Control! All Clear! Infinite Power, unleashed here and now, break through this very dimension and beyond! Go! Accel Synchro! Come on, Tech Genus Blade Blaster!"

Green armour shimmered as the bayonet of the monster flashed [3300/2200].

"Blade Blaster, attack Night Rose Dragon!" Ren called. "Shoot Blade!"

"Trap card, Blaue Rosen!" Ryuusei called. "When a Rose Dragon is chosen as an attack or effect target, I can redirect the target to another card on the field! I choose Odin!"

"Damn!" Takeshi swore as his monster went under.

Takeshi: LP 7500 → LP 6200

Ren: LP 8000

Ryuusei: LP 7500

"Turn end," Ren scowled.

"At the end phase, Odin is revived!" Takeshi called. "Then, I'll draw a card. My turn, draw! I'll use Odin's invulnerability to Spells and Traps this turn! Odin, attack that Night Rose Dragon!"

"Trap card, Choking Thorns!" Ryuusei called. "I'll target one monster and equip this card to that target, which in this case is Night Rose Dragon. When Night Rose attacks or is attacked, during damage calculation only its attack with increase by half the power of the attacking monster or the attack target."

"What?" Takeshi yelled as Night Rose Dragon spread its wings [3000/2500 → 5000/2500] and Odin was brought low.

Takeshi: LP 6200 → LP 4200

Ren: LP 8000

Ryuusei: LP 7500

"There's got to be a trap in that," Takeshi growled. "I'll activate Burial from a Different Dimension to return the cards I banished to the graveyard. I end my turn, and at the end phase I banish Valkyrie to revive Odin! Turn end!"

"Draw!" Ryuusei called. "Well, you're right, there's a trap. At my next End Phase, Choking Thorns basically forces my Night Rose to self-destruct and special summon a Rose Dragon from the graveyard, treating the special summon like a Synchro summon except that the special summoned monster can't be destroyed by card effects. But, I draw! I'll play the Spell, Angel Baton! I draw two cards, and discard a monster card. Now, I summon Junk Synchron [1300/500] and use its effect to special summon Tuningware [100/300]. Activate Machine Duplication, hello two more Tuningware. Tuning, level two Tuningware to level three Junk Synchron! Come, Tech Genus Hyper Librarian!"

Another white-robed magician appeared.

Ryuusei glanced from it to Ren. "Hey, it's you."

"Oi!" Ren rebutted.

"Now, banishing Gigaplant from graveyard to special summon Spore as a level seven monster," Ryuusei continued. "Tuning, level one Tuningware to level seven Spore! Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"

"Another one...?" Ren backed away as the monster [2500/2000] appeared.

"I draw a card," Ryuusei shortly declared. "And another two due to the two Tuningware. I discard a monster to special summon the tuner Quickdraw Synchron [700/1400]. Tuning, level one Tuningware to level five Quickdraw! "Gathering power will turn into a spear that pierces the earth! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Break it apart, Drill Warrior!"

Ren was already furiously chewing his nails at Synchro monster number four [2400/2000]. "Crap..."

"Night Rose Dragon's first effect!" Ryuusei barked. "Banishing Lonefire Blossom, I'll destroy Blade Blaster! Destructive Bloom!"

"Argh..." Ren sighed sadly.

"Now, Night Rose Dragon, direct attack with Witching Obscurity!" Ryuusei called. "Stardust Dragon, Drill Warrior, Hyper Librarian, direct attack!"

Ren: LP 8000 → LP 0

Takeshi: LP 4200

Ryuusei: LP 7500

"And I halve Odin's attack with Night Rose Dragon's Choking Vines effect [4000/3500 → 2000/1750]," Ryuusei nodded. "I'll set a card, and at the end phase Choking Thorns destroys Night Rose and then, I revive Night Rose Dragon!"

Dark wings spread, and the velvety black dragon coated with diamond-dust leapt into being before him, wings unfolding and shielding protectively.

"Turn end," Ryuusei nodded.

"Draw," Takeshi growled. "I'll summon Tanngrisnir of the Nordic Beasts [1200/800] in attack mode. Then, I'll activate the card, De-Synchro to dissolve Odin. I'll set a card, turn end."

"Draw!" Ryuusei declared. Even though it was for formality's sake, it was clear who was going to win already. "Banish Spore and Twilight Rose, Odin and Tanngrisnir are destroyed. Night Rose, Stardust, direct attack!"

Takeshi: LP 4200 → LP 0

Ryuusei: LP 8000

"So this is the power of the third-years...?"

"No, that's Fudo Ryuusei, the Prince of Duel..."

"So strong... Night Rose Dragon..."

"So he's the Night Rose Knight...?"

"Go, Ryuusei!" Chase was calling as Ryuusei bowed to his opponents and got off the stage. "You won!"

"Yes," Ryuusei echoed hollowly. "Yes..."

"I'm back," Ryuusei called as he entered the house to take off his shoes.

"Oh, welcome home, Ryuusei," Dr Izayoi Aki smiled at him. "Dinner's just ready."

"Oh, Mom," Ryuusei acknowledged. "How was your day?"

"Good, no one died unexpectedly," Aki gave a small smile. "Yours?"

"Won a Duel. No rampaging Duellists."

"My son the Duellist," Aki nodded. "If only you weren't born with this curse..."

Ryuusei said nothing.

The fact that her only child had inherited his powers in a much stronger form from her, had almost broken Izayoi Aki. Even the tacit support of his grandparents and his father had not stopped her angst over that her son was a young child, bearing enough power to wipe out a city block. Not to mention the red bangs and Black Rose that gave him away as the son of the former Black Rose Witch, there was, well, that he attracted people to him.

"Erm, we have a career talk next week," Ryuusei blurted as mother and son sat to dinner, since the Professor was working late. "Tuesday. Well, do you have time, Mom?"

"That's nice," Aki nodded. "I'll definitely make time. So, how was Seika's performance? She's spending the night over with the Himemiya family, so I couldn't quite catch her."

"Fine," Ryuusei tried to sum it up. "The teacher was using a Beatdown strategy, so she mostly used Firey. She won before five turns were up, that's fast for a lower life point format. Uzuki was more creative, the Madolche Desperate Waltz effect damage loop."

"How innovative," Aki agreed. "How about you, Ryuusei? Have you thought about your career after school yet?"

"...I was thinking of building D-Wheels," Ryuusei carefully chose.

Aki smiled, her face brightening. "Just like your father, struck with the grease-monkey syndrome. But, you'll have to... well, Ava-san is very trustworthy, but I'm worried about any stalkers you might meet."

Fudo Yusei had first joked that the baby-napping nurse must have fallen for Ryuusei at first glance, even though his distinct hairstyle and familial resemblance quickly blew any chance of mistaken identity out of the water. The joke had turned old at his first stalker as five. "Mom, not every person I meet is guaranteed to be a stalker. Rex and Chase aren't."

"I trust your friends, but I think it'd be better if you dated in a while," Aki sighed. "You know that I don't mind if you're gay, Ryuu-chan, but you're barely even dating and you're in your third year already."

And his mother's worrying streak happens. "I'll start dating once the thing about Anjhel finally fades."

Aki's worry lines deepened slightly. "Ah, yes. Don't worry, Ryuu-chan, take your time. You don't have to give up finding someone as reliable as your father, you know."

"Thanks, Mom."

"You are a good Duellist," Marguerite noted as Ryuusei sat alone on the roof of the apartment building, watching the sight of Neo Domino in the night, as if the very city itself were alive. The plants on the sky-garden began to flower just by his very proximity, but Ryuusei ignored them out of long practice. "But... why use Black Rose over Stardust?"

"Because Stardust isn't for me," Ryuusei answered. "Stardust called to Seika a long time ago, that's why she has Dad's copy. All I have is a new, albeit rare, copy. And... I think I need to remember the sins Black Rose bears."

"The sins... ah," Marguerite nodded. "But it is pointless. You are instead a target."

"There are limits to what we can do," Ryuusei shrugged. "Instead of regretting what we cannot do, it is better to do anything we can do. Even if what we do can't bring us to our final goal, it brings us that much closer to it. Duel Monsters gave me friends, and my first friend was Black Rose. It seems fair that I make my name on it."

"Yet you are not going to pursue it," Marguerite noticed.

"Fame does odd things to people," Ryuusei replied. "I Duel for the thrill, and the strategy. I have faced loss before, that's what makes it more interesting. Loss brings you to sympathise."

"Well, you are certainly slightly more intelligent, I shall submit," Marguerite nodded, her fingers still moving as if they were playing cat's cradle. "The plants love you."

Ryuusei trailed a finger across a brilliant purple pea-flower. "Maybe. Maybe not. Did you find more clues to find Titania?"

"No, I was more preoccupied with the chains that bind you," Marguerite nodded. "They are complex, but not unworkable. In fact, I think I may recognise the signature of one of them. We shall begin on the morrow, I think. There are many gateways through here."

Somewhere on the Indian Ocean, Cheryl kept staring at the man, Natashi Kiyomi from her bunk in the tiny cabin. What his purpose was she could hardly care less, except that it involved taking down Setsuka Shimotsuki. If it were to dispose of the bitch who took her powers, Cheryl supposed that she would quite cheerfully trade her first-born.

Ignored and bullied as a child, Cheryl Madison had been a loner in the St Mary's Orphanage for Lost Children. Like most, the psychic powers that arose later in her life were connected to resentment and anger, especially against Olive and the gang. Well, Olive and the gang killed each other on her command, did they not. Power was exhilarating, and people were sheep that should be controlled by the powerful.

Her ambition to control had grown until she joined the Arcadia Movement, where her powers were having problems controlling the psychics there. Undeterred, she pushed herself, and would have almost taken over the British section if not for that the head of the Arcadia Movement itself was on a visit.

Setsuka Shimotsuki was a being completely unlike any other psychic, Cheryl Madison had realised that day when she tried to use her psychic powers. She failed completely, and ended up Duelling the White Queen for supremacy. The outcome was concluded within six turns, and once her hold upon others gone and her powers failed her before Shimotsuki's icy grip and ice powers, Cheryl was sent to prison to await trial in the Holloway hell-hole.

Until Marguerite came...

Would you like power...?

Yes. Yes. Cheryl wanted that security of power so much, so much to bind people to her geas and use them as she would... the certainty that she was in sole and only control of her destiny. Fudo Ryuusei was the pawn she must get, and so she will. Once she got to the charmingly handsome one, and got him to defeat Setsuka Shimotsuki, her hold would be cemented. She would be powerful, and free, in control of her fate. Not the courts, not the world, and certainly not Shimotsuki.

She felt nothing like a doll. Nothing like a doll at all.

The intent of Natashi Kiyomi, on the other hand, was far more benign.

Born to a family of royal advisers even before America was independent, the Natashi house was financially well-off. A constant search for new knowledge had always been encouraged amongst the family, though they should have been more specific when referring to the various knowledges. The first son Harumi, his older brother, had always been the favourite for becoming a curator of the Museum, while his younger sister Kimimi was the baby of the family. Overlooked as the middle child born to a Japanese mother, Kiyomi had turned to physics, especially the theories of Professor Fudo regarding perpetual motion and emotional states. He had become an outspoken advocate of the Ultimate Energy the same day he had read that thesis.

Yet, there was a part in the afterword of Professor Fudo's thesis that had mentioned the supernatural worlds. More and more, his curiosity was awoken. Could it be... there were other worlds that could be reached? The power, this power of light and darkness, and with it open the doors to the worlds between worlds... worlds that contained knowledge and new things. That which has not been seen in the three thousand worlds... Harumi was, unfortunately, not a believer, and Kimimi was too shallow.

You wish for power to question the world...?

Yes, yes, he ached to find proof. Proof of the other worlds and to find them. Like the lost city of Atlantis itself, buried in dreams and uncertainties, he wanted to find it, question, and... and this power was a start. Fragarach was the Answerer, but it would only work if he knew where to look. The Arcadia Movement must hold it... and Shimotsuki was the only barrier. There was only one truth. If it required the aid of a felon to search for it, Kiyomi was willing to risk everything.

Even combat the enemy that admittedly even the British Arcadia Movement was scared shitless of...

Twilight Rose Dragon
DARK LV3 500/1400
1 tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Synchro/Tuner/Plant
Once per turn, you can tribute 1 level 5 or higher Plant-type monster to Special Summon 1 Plant-type monster or 1 "Black Rose Dragon" from your Graveyard.

Night Rose Dragon
DARK LV10 3000/2500
1 Synchro Tuner + "Black Rose Dragon"
Synchro/Dragon
You can banish any number of plant-type monsters in your Graveyard to target the same number of cards on the field; destroy them. Once per turn, you can target 1 monster your opponent controls and halve its ATK and DEF.

Credit for the above cards go to The Otherworlder. Both were first featured in Chapter 13 of the story, Born in Another World.

Blaue Rosen
Type: Normal Trap
When a 'Rose Dragon' monster you control is targeted as an attack target or by a card effect, you can switch the target to another card on the field. You must control a 'Rose Dragon' to activate and resolve this card.

Choking Thorns
Type: Normal Trap
Target one Plant Type monster or one 'Rose Dragon' Synchro monster; equip this card to that target. If the target attacks or is attacked, during damage calculation only, it gains ATK or DEF equal to half the power of the attack target or the attacking monster. At your next End Phase,destroy this card and the equipped monster; special summon one Plant Type or 'Rose Dragon' Synchro Monster from your graveyard. This special summon is treated as a Synchro summon. The monster special summoned by the effect of 'Choking Thorns cannot be destroyed by card effects.

The above cards are created by your truly.

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